Dr Shah Faisal, a
Kashmiri doctor, made his family proud by topping the Union Public Service
Commission (UPSC) examination 2009

Dr Shah Faisal's home in Srinagar opened its doors to happiness and
celebrations after a rather tumultuous past. Nine years ago, his father, a
school teacher, was killed by militants in the border district of Kupwara.
Life wasn't easy for Faisal and his family after that. However, Faisal's
determination has brought his family out of the drudgery and onto a new and
better life.

For Faisal's mother, Mebeena Begum who had three children to look after,
it's a dream come true. "He had a dream and that was fulfilled. He had a
dream to qualify for the IAS and top the examination. Today we see his dream
has been fulfilled as he has topped the exams," she said.

"I am proud. It was impossible but brother has made it possible. Only
brother could have done it," said his brother Shawnawaz Rasool.

Faisal has all along been a bright student. He topped his Class 10 exams and
did his MBBS from the Srinagar medical college. After qualifying the prelims
last year, he went to Delhi to attend coaching classes. Besides this, Faisal
has also been an active member of the RTI movement in Jammu & Kashmir.

( Courtesy: NDTV )

Dad killed by ultras, doctor from Kashmir
tops IAS

By Joel Joseph & M
Saleem Pandit, TNN,

NEW DELHI/SRINAGAR: He comes from a remote village in Kupwara district of
strife-torn Kashmir and studied in a village school. Eight years ago, his father
was gunned down by militants. But Dr Shah Faisal, a 26-year-old MBBS, has fought
the odds and won. On Thursday, Faisal became the first Kashmiri ever to top the
civil services exam.

"I don't have words to express how I feel, I am not able to speak. I just wish I
was with my family. I am just waiting to hug my mother," Faisal, who came to the
capital before the results to "get away from the stress of waiting", told TOI.

Even through the elation, Faisal gets emotional at the mention of Kashmir.
Describing himself as a victim of conflict, he says, "I have watched the
bloodshed in Kashmir very closely. I was devastated when my father Ghulam Rasool
Shah was gunned down. It is him that I miss the most today. He used to dote on
me and taught me English and maths when I studied in school," he says.

In Srinagar, his mother Mubeena Begum, thrilled beyond words, says, "Faisal has
made every Kashmiri proud with his hard work and dedication."

Her husband, she says, was killed because he refused shelter to militants.
Ironically, it was the tragedy that opened a window to the wider world for the
family. "After the killing, I shifted from village Sheikh Nar in Lolab Sogam
area of Kupwara to Srinagar with my children ^ two sons and a daughter. My elder
son Shah Faisal had done his class X from Sogam high school while my two other
children were in middle school there. I was a broken woman but never gave up and
fought against all odds to bring up my children," says Mubeena, a teacher, like
her husband.

Faisal, who did his MBBS from Srinagar's Sher-i-Kashmir Medical College, says he
was confident of qualifying but never imagined he would be right on top. His
mission now is to serve his people in the strife torn area of Kashmir. "I wanted
to serve my people and in the role of an IAS officer I would like to reduce the
communication gap between the people and the administration. I will give
audience to them to hear their problems, cares and worries. I want to bring a
change, especially for women and the youth," he says, insisting that he never
received any formal training for the UPSC exam.

Among his inspirations, Faisal counts an IPS officer from his state. "I was
inspired by one Abdul Gani Mir of my area in Kupwara, who passed his IPS in
1994. I have been in touch with him since 2007, when I thought of sitting for
the civil services exams," he says. Gani is currently DIG, CID in Jammu and
Kashmir Police.

Faisal's younger brother Shah Nawaz is also a doctor while his younger sister
Talat Shah is a library assistant.

Srinagar/Jammu, May 06 (Scoop
News)- A doctor from Kashmir
has topped the Civil Service Exams 2009 as 875 candidates
qualified the test conducted by Indian Union Public Service
Commission (UPSC), the results of which were announced
today.

Dr. Shah Faisal, hailing from
Sogam village of border district Kupwara who topped
2009-2010 batch of Indian Administrative Services (IAS)
examinations brought laurels to the
Jammu and Kashmir
State
particularly to the Kashmir
valley.

A total of 875 candidates,
including 680 men and 195 women, have been recommended for
appointment to IAS, IFS, IPS and other central services, the
UPSC said in a statement.A total of 4,09,110 candidates
applied for the test while 1,93,091 appeared in the
preliminary examination.

It is to be
mentioned here that in 1980-81 Khurshid Ahmad Ganai was the
first person from this state who achieved IInd position in
the same IAS examination. His brilliance and proud
achievement brought laurels to entire Jammu and KashmirState at that time. This
record was maintained but today Dr. Shah Faisal overhauled
this record by topping the IAS list 2009-10.

Now, Dr. Shah
Faisal has become the first from Jammu and Kashmir who has
achieved this position and status. Not only people of
Kupwara district but entire
Jammu and KashmirState have expressed jubilance on the
achievement of Dr. Faisal.

J&K Chief Minister,
Omar Abdullah has congratulated Dr. Shah Faisal for his
brilliant performance and for keeping the head of the Jammu and KashmirState high. He said this will inspire the
youth of state to prepare themselves for any competitive
examinations adding that Dr. Faisal has proved that our
youth have tremendous potential to do it.

Former Chief Minister Mufti
Mohammad Sayeed and president of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
chief Mehbooba Mufti have congratulated Shah Faisal, a youth
from remotest area of Kupwara district who got first
position in the Civil Services Examinations conducted by the
Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Shah Faisal topped
the UPSC list.

In a joint statement issued
here today, PDP leaders, while congratulating Faisal said
that a youth from the remotest Lolab area of Kupwara
district has proved his capability by securing first
position in the entire country.

They further said that Faisalís
achievement has also proved intellectual potential of the
youth of Jammu and
Kashmir and his success would give
inspiration to the other youth of the State.

In a statement, Nasir
Aslam said the young doctor has done his State proud by
topping the most competitive examination in the country. He
said Dr. Faisalís feat will inspire many more youngsters to
opt for civil services as a career in future.

Dr. Faisal is a
native of Sogam Lolab, in Kupwara district and is presently
doing his internship from GovernmentMedicalCollege, Srinagar.

Minister for Rural
Developments, Panchayats, Law and Parliamentary Affairs,
Ali Mohammad Sagar, Advisor to Chief Minister, Mubarak Gul,
MLAs, Mir Saifullah and Kafeel-ur-Rehman have congratulated
Dr. Shah Faisal on his brilliant performance and topping in
civil services exams, the result of which was declared
today.